PANAJI: Stating that “as of now” he does not want to discuss any post-poll alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party, senior leader of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party Ramakrishna ‘Sudin’ Dhavalikar on Thursday expressed confidence that MGP-Goa Suraksha Manch-Shiv Sena grand alliance would secure 22 seats at the forthcoming state assembly election and form the next government in Goa with absolute majority.
“My friendship with senior BJP leader Nitin Gadkari and politics are two different things,” he told ‘The Navhind Times’, pointing out, “Although everyone should acknowledge the central financial support for Goa provided by Gadkari for development of the state infrastructure, it is also a fact that today good days have come for the regional parties as the people have understood the importance of regional parties coming to power for the all-round development of the state.”
Dhavalikar said that initially the MGP would have its chief minister and eight MLAs as ministers, since he is not interested in providing cabinet berths to his young legislators, having no experience.
“First of all, I want to train these young MGP MLAs into good legislators,” he maintained, stating that the remaining cabinet berths would be given to the MLAs of the political parties, which are in coalition with the MGP.
On the other hand, convenor of the MGP-Goa Suraksha Manch-Shiv Sena grand alliance Subhash Velingkar said the announcement made by Gadkari as regards the possibility of a central BJP leader coming to Goa after the forthcoming state assembly election to lead the BJP government will not have any impact on the prospects of the grand alliance at the this election.
“We are going ahead with the campaign, with our own speed, and nothing will disturb it,” he exclaimed.
Velingkar said that the decision as regards the candidate of the grand alliance for Panaji constituency Krishnaraj ‘Raju’ Sukerkar has not been taken yet.
“We are still waiting to have the final round of talks with him in this connection,” he added, pointing out that the final call on the same would be taken after the discussion.
Sukerkar, who has been admitted to a Mumbai-based hospital, is in two minds as regards contesting the election on health ground.